Going-to-the-Sun Road is the one experience practically every visitor to Glacier National Park does when they visit, especially if they only have a short time. And while there are unlimited treasures beyond the iconic road, there is still plenty of amazing sights to see.

The east side is particularly dramatic with numerous places to soak in the big vistas and is a good place to start.

Blake Passmore, author of "What They Called It," and has a keen eye for the beautiful sights that guests should not miss. Volume 1 covers the names and stories behind the mountains seen from Going-to-the-Sun Rd. throughout his years of research on this book, as well as his Climb Glacier National Park series.

Starting at St. Mary, it’s easy to pass by Two Dog Flats, but slow down to take notice. Passmore said wildflowers abound, and wildlife, such as elk, bears, and coyotes are frequently seen.

Six miles past St. Mary, and just past Rising Sun, be sure to stop at the pullout to see Wild Goose Island, one of the most photographed scenes in the entire park. This is also an amazing area to enjoy the wildflowers, especially after the Reynolds Fire in 2015.

Bowman Lake in Glacier National Park, where the backlog of maintenance work on national park properties in Montana is more than $334 million, according to a report by the National Park Service.
TRIBUNE PHOTO/KRISTEN INBODY

Beargrass blooms along the trail to Scenic Point in the Two Medicine region of Glacier National Park. Every year, the park sees some beargrass blooming, but the mass bloomings tend to be every five to 10 years in the park, according to the park service.
Jamie Ford photo

A tourist snaps a photograph of a mountain goat crossing the trail to Hidden Lake near Logan Pass in Glacier National Park.
AP File Photo
A tourist snaps a photograph of a mountain goat crossing over the trail to Hidden Lake near Logan Pass in Glacier National Park on Aug. 11, 2010. The park has recorded 8 percent more visitors this year compared to the same time period in 2009.(AP Photo/The Daily Inter Lake, Nate Chute)
Nate Chute

Montana's grizzlies, such as this sow and her two cubs in Glacier National Park, are much larger than the bears in the Gobi Desert because of the abundance of protein-rich food available.
Courtesy photo: NPS/Andrew Englehorn

Glacier National Park visitors will have clear views of St. Mary Lake from the St. Mary Falls Trail after the 2015 Reynolds Creek Fire burned 4,850 acres in Glacier National Park around St. Mary Lake.
RION SANDERS, TRIBUNE PHOTO/RION SANDERS

The 2015 Reynolds Creek Fire burned 4,850 acres in Glacier National Park around St. Mary Lake. Park visitors that hike and drive through the burn this summer will be treated to spectacular new views through the burnt trees.
RION SANDERS, TRIBUNE PHOTO/RION SANDERS

The 2015 Reynolds Creek Fire burned 4,850 acres in Glacier National Park around St. Mary Lake. Park visitors that hike and drive through the burn this summer will be treated to spectacular new views through the burnt trees.
RION SANDERS, TRIBUNE PHOTO/RION SANDERS

The original helical staircase was torn out of the Many Glacier Hotel in 1957 to make room for a gift shop. The completion of the new helical staircase marks the end of the major rehabilitation efforts in the lodge.
Tribune Photo/Sarah Dettmer

A young bear is spotted near Many Glacier at Glacier National Park. A new study of grizzly bear genetics in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem showed that 101 offspring came from a single male, and 61 from another.
Photo by Tabitha Graves

A teepee echos the mountain shapes at the St. Mary Overlook near Glacier National Park. The new overlook is along U.S. Highway 89 about 2 miles south of St. Mary. Interpretive signs recount the Red Eagle Fire (2006) and the Reynolds Creek Fire (2015).
TRIBUNE PHOTO/KRISTEN INBODY

Diane Sine, interpretive ranger for Glacier National Park, talks with park visitors on the St. Mary Falls Trail on May 25, 2016. The 2015 Reynolds Creek Fire has opened up spectacular views along trails and the Going to the Sun Road around St. Mary Lake.
RION SANDERS, TRIBUNE PHOTO/RION SANDERS

The 2015 Reynolds Creek Fire burned 4,850 acres in Glacier National Park around St. Mary Lake. Park visitors that hike and drive through the burn this summer will be treated to spectacular new views through the burnt trees.
RION SANDERS, TRIBUNE PHOTO/RION SANDERS

The 2015 Reynolds Creek Fire burned 4,850 acres in Glacier National Park around St. Mary Lake. Park visitors that hike and drive through the burn this summer will be treated to spectacular new views through the burnt trees.
RION SANDERS, TRIBUNE PHOTO/RION SANDERS

Firefighters responded to a wildland fire near Grizzly Point on the east side of Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park in 2015. This photo was taken at Wild Goose Island Overlook looking west toward Logan Pass.
Chris Rossmiller

Sun Point is the former site of the impressive Going-to-the-Chalets, which were built in 1912 and razed in 1948, after changes in how visitors used the park caused them to fall out of favor. For years, Sun Point has been closed to the public, but with its reopening, the dramatic views from this location are a must-see for those traveling through the park.

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Wild Goose Island on St. Mary lake in Glacier National Park on June 7, 2018.(Photo: Tribune Photo/Sarah Dettmer)

Passmore recommends a brief walk to gain a better view of the area. “It’s a short 1/8 mile hike, but they need to do it,” he said.

A short distance past Sun Point is Sunrift Gorge. With water, wildflowers, and beautiful red (argillite) rock, it’s worth a look.

As you travel from Sunrift Gorge towards Siyeh Bend, notice Going-to-the-Sun Mountain on your right (east), and if there is parking at Siyeh, walking up the trail a short distance to enjoy the area along Siyeh Creek is a great way to stretch your legs.

Closer to Logan Pass, Lunch Creek has a fair amount of parking and with a short walk up the hill find a gorgeous waterfall. Passmore said the National Park Service is considering an official short trail because of its popularity.

Logan Pass, with Mt. Oberlin standing sentinel over the area to the west and the imposing Reynolds Mountain to the south, is always a good place to stop, although with the recent amount of visitors, you’re hard-pressed to find a parking area unless you arrive very early or very late.

Beyond the pass, the big bend below Haystack Butte offers tremendous views from the large parking area, and a short ways past the area, open your window as you drive past the Weeping Wall.

A visitor to the park enjoys the cool mist of Weeping Wall.(Photo: TRIBUNE FILE PHOTO/EVAN FROST)

At the Loop, the hairpin curve part way down the west side, there is a terrific view of Heavens Peak to the southwest, which is the reason Louis Hill of the Great Northern Railway chose to build Granite Park Chalet 4 miles up the mountain from this area.

And as you travel through the tunnels and descend into the forest, the views completely change to much older - and larger - trees that aren’t battered by the strong winds of the east side.

Sacred Dancing Cascades along McDonald Creek demonstrate the power of the water as you step onto the overlook, and make a point to stop at Lake McDonald Lodge and walk to the edge of the lake to gain a different perspective looking south on Lake McDonald.

There are numerous pullouts along Lake McDonald that provide good views of Stanton Mountain, Mount Vaught, The Garden Wall, Mount Canon, Mount Brown, Reynolds Mountain, Little Matterhorn, Edwards Mountain, and Gunsight Mountain at the north end of the lake, and the classic image of the mountains reflecting in the water is often taken from the beach along the south end of the lake at Apgar.

A lifetime is not enough to see the wonders of Glacier, but if you only have a day to drive through the park on Going-to-the-Sun Rd. you can make a tremendous day experiencing some of the most beautiful scenes in the world.